.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} The cost associated with modernizing an outdated air traffic control system could fall on the owners of private and corporate jets.

A fight is raging in Washington, D.C., between the commercial airlines and groups representing the general aviation industry. Both houses of Congress are considering bills to authorize new spending for the Federal Aviation Administration, whose budget expires Sept. 30. The money would go to update an aging air traffic control system, something most agree needs to be done.

The airlines and the FAA want general aviation to pay higher fuel taxes and a user fee.

“Commercial airlines pay for 94 percent of the services even though we use only 70 percent,” said David Castelveter, vice president of communications for the Air Transport Association, which represents the commercial airline industry. “General aviation uses 16 percent and pays for 6 percent. We feel that everyone should pay for what they use.”

Ed Bolen, president and CEO of National Business Aviation Association Inc., said no one in the world looks at small private jets and commercial airliners the same way, and no one believes they use the system in the same fashion.

He said his group is willing to pay higher fuel taxes, but the plan for user fees would amount to a tax break for airlines. He argues that the size and scope of the air-traffic-control system is shaped primarily by the airlines.

“It would boost our costs astronomically,” he said, “even though we aren’t the ones putting a strain on the system.”

Castelveter said the way the system works today, commercial airlines’ customers are subsidizing corporations’ private jets.

“If we don’t fix the problems with the air traffic control system, delays are going to get worse and worse,” he said. “We just want a funding system that is fair to all those involved and fixes the problem.”